


Bet It's Such a Bitter Pill

by erisgregory



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-07 22:33:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18882583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erisgregory/pseuds/erisgregory
Summary: from a tumblr prompt: Malex - Alex tries to move on with Michael's ex (knowingly)





	Bet It's Such a Bitter Pill

**Author's Note:**

> Had a little trouble keeping this in character, but hopefully I pulled it off. Thank you to my prompter! It means a lot that you all trust me to write for you!

It started as an idea. Just a daydream really, something to pass the time. Alex wasn’t going to act on it. He just needed a distraction from feeling shitty and left behind. He didn’t think he was capable of turning the tables on Michael until he actually met Daniel one night at the Wild Pony. Before then he hadn’t even known there was a Daniel, he’d only imagined some nameless faceless guy.

But Daniel was charming in real life. He made Maria introduce them and immediately started chatting Alex up. When he’d left to take beers to his friends, Maria told Alex who he was. Michael’s ex. A serious ex of all things.

When Daniel comes back and slides onto the stool next to him, Alex still hasn’t decided anything, but Maria gives him a knowing look like she’s figured it out before he had, and maybe she had. She passed him another beer and thankfully didn’t say anything. Daniel on the other hand had plenty to say.

“You’re Alex Manes right? I was at your parade.” 

Alex hung his head in embarrassment. He chuckled before saying, “You have to know I wasn’t expecting that. They only told me the day before and by then it was too late to cancel.”

“Not a huge fanfare guy, huh?” Daniel asked.

“Not so much, no. I’m much more low key.” Alex told him.

Daniel smiled. “I think I can see that. You have a very chill vibe.” He said, pointing his finger up and down Alex like he was taking Alex’s measure.

They continued on like that for a half hour before Daniel’s friends came and pulled him away. Not before he slipped Alex his number, though. Maria’s eyebrows had plenty to say about that, but Alex didn;t know yet. He hadn’t thought it all the way through, he’d only been going with the flow and enjoying himself.

When he got home he had time to think about it. Michael’s ex. A serious ex. Would it sting? Would Michael even care? He and Maria hadn’t lasted two weeks, but even so it had devastated Alex. He’d only just started sort of halfway talking to Maria. He hadn’t even thought about talking to Michael and Michael hadn’t tried to contact him either.

Technically he was a free man and could date whomever he pleased. But would he just be using Daniel to make Michael mad? Maybe. Daniel was funny though, kinda hot in a rugged way, actually he was exactly Alex’s type. But Alex hadn’t ever really dated. Not in high school, obviously, and not in the air force. There had been guys, of course there had been, but Alex had been in the closet and so had they. Nothing serious. Mouths, hands, stolen moments behind the barracks. 

Michael was as close to dating as Alex ever got. And it was a pretty pathetic attempt. He’d spent so much of their time together denying how he felt and trying to get away from it, only to have the tables turned on him in the last moment when Michael chose Maria over him.

Alex spent the rest of the night trying to decide what to do and in the end he came up with this: If Michael can go after his best friend then Alex can go after Michael’s ex and if he has a problem with it, who cares? Maybe that makes it even better. Alex was going to take a chance and see where it went.

Alex: _Hey, it’s Alex Manes. You wanna grab a drink some time?_

Only a couple of minutes go by before there’s a response.

Daniel: _I’m free tonight, you?_

Alex: _I’m free._

Daniel: _Meet me at The Wild Pony at 8?_

Alex: _Sure, see you then._

Alex found himself taking extra time with his outfit that night. He wore a button down with hsi jean jacket over it, his nice blue jeans. He’s glad he did when he gets to the bar and sees that Daniel has done the same. He looks great. He even shaved so that he’s scruffy beard is now more a sexy shadow.

“You look good.” He told Alex first thing. 

“So do you.” Alex said with a smile. He could do this. He could totally date.

“So what’re we drinking?” Daniel asked as he slid onto the stool at the bar.

“Just beer for me. For now.” Alex told him. Maria’s eyes went wide when she saw them, but she served them with a friendly enough smile.

Alex took a drink of his beer and took a quick glance around the bar. He wasn’t looking for anyone in particular, more that he was checking to see if anyone was looking at him. It was habit. A bad habit. He couldn’t be on a date and be worried that someone would see him on a date. It’s not like his dad was going to walk in and ruin everything.

He decided it was best just to focus on Daniel. Daniel who was talking about music. Good, Alex could talk music.

“And that’s when I realized that current country, or country music after 9/11 just isn’t the same.” He was saying.  
Okay, Alex didn’t know much about country but he was at least intrigued.

“Why isn’t it the same? I don’t really listen to it, but now you’ve got me curious.” Alex asked.

Daniel smiled widely. “You see it’s all about patriotism. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m completely behind our armed forces. You have my full support.”

‘Thank you.” Alex told him, still curious as to where this was going.

Daniel continued, “But I don’t think all the wars are so great. I’d like it if we could bring our troops home. And I’d like it if people stopped pretending that America is without flaws. Country music used to be about pickup trucks and horses and falling in love and getting your heart broken, tears in your beers kind of stuff, but now it’s just about how wonderful it is to live in America and how we’re better than anyone else.”

“Interesting.” Alex said. “Like I said, I don’t really listen to it, but I can imagine that would be frustrating. I’m not the biggest fan our current state of affairs myself. I certainly don’t want songs about how great it all is.”

“Exactly! I would appreciate something a little more down to earth or realistic, at the very least.” Daniel explained.

After their beers they ordered tequila and that made Alex feel a lot more relaxed. He’d been trying so hard to focus on Daniel and being with Daniel that it had become the very thing that was stressing him out.

They talked about what music Alex was into, currently a mix of alternative rock and singer songwriter stuff. They talked about movies and television. Alex admitted he’d never had time for Game of Thrones during deployment, but that he was almost current with the MCU. Daniel was very into DC and that took up a good portion of their conversation; a lively debate about the merits of DC vs Marvel.

By the time they were several shots in, Alex was completely failing to notice anyone around them. So he wasn’t paying attention to Michael just a few seats down when Danil picked up his hand from the bar, licked a stripe across his wrist, salted it, licked it again, and took his last shot. He was only made aware when Michael came over and pulled Daniel off of him.

“What the hell, Guerin?” He asked, standing as fast as he could.

Michael had the good sense to look abashed, but only for a second. “He was all over you!” He said.

“That’s kind of the point of a date!” Alex told him.

“Hey, you two know each other? How?” Daniel asked, holding his hands up in surrender.

“He’s my ex.” They said at the same time.

“And he’s my ex.” Daniel said, pointing to Michael.

Alex hung his head. “I know. Maria told me.”

“So what, you were just going to date me and not tell me about this?” Daniel looked hurt and Alex felt like an asshole.

“I thought I might tell you if things were working out.” He admitted.

The whole while Michael just stood there, staring him down.

“Things aren’t going to work, in case you were wondering.” Daniel told him plainly.

“Yeah, I think I figured that out.” Alex said.

“I don’t want in the middle of whatever this is anyway.” Daniel said before he walked away.

“What was that?” Michael asked. “Were you trying to make me jealous?”

Alex raked a hand through his hair. “Maybe? I don’t know Michael. It seemed like a good idea at the time and now I just feel like an idiot. I thought maybe if you saw us together you’d know what it felt like to see you with Maria.”

“Walk with me?” Michael asked indicating the door.

“Why not?” Alex shrugged. He felt so stupid. He might as well hear whatever Michael had to say to him.

Outside the warm breeze helped sober him up. He breathed in deep and when he felt like he could stand it, he turned to dface Michael. 

“I was jealous, so it worked.” Michael admitted.

Alex just shook his head.

“I thought you’d feel relieved when I went to Maria. I was supposed to be setting you free. That was stupid. That was the mistake. Seeing you with Daniel just now, I know a little of what that must have felt like and it felt like shit. I never should have put you through that, but I was a coward Alex. Our past is riddled with pain and I wanted to hide from that. It wasn’t fair to Maria and it really wasn’t fair to you. I wish I could take it back. I’m so fucking sorry I did that.” Michael said, laying it all out there. Everything Alex wished he would have said sooner. Now it was too late, wasn’t it?

“I’m sorry. I know I kept pushing you away and then I just expected you to come to me when I was ready. I didn’t consider whether or not you were still waiting for me. Now this thing with Daniel, I don’t think I deserve your apology.” Alex told him softly.

“You do, though, that’s just it. I am sorry and you deserve to hear that and to know that I regret it all. I’ve been a wreck without you.” Michael whispered the last part as if it were too hard to say out loud.

“I’m a wreck without you!” Alex said, exasperated by trying to hold back his emotions. 

“Then maybe we should--” Michael started but Alex cut him off.

“Don’t. Don’t say that unless you really mean it.”

Michael reach his hand toward Alex, grabbing him by the sleeve and pulling him closer. “I mean it, Alex. Maybe we should give this one last shot.”

Alex didn’t have an answer for that, but he went willingly into Michael’s arms, into a kiss that felt like coming home. We they came up for air, Michael leaned his forehead against Alex’s. “Let me take you home.”

“No, I can’t.” Alex whispered. “I just can’t do that yet.”

“Then let me bring you breakfast. We can talk some more, try to work this out.” Michael urged.

“Okay.” Alex agreed. “Just breakfast, and talking.”

“You gonna be okay getting home? Michael asked.

“I’ll call Liz.” He said.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.” Michael promised.

“See you tomorrow.” Michael finally pulled away and let him go. 

Alex watched as Michael walked away. Maybe this was crazy, maybe it could never work between them now, but he had hope. A tiny warm seed of hope growing in the middle of his chest and he couldn't help it. He couldn’t wait to see Michael again and see if they really had a chance.

He walked to his car and leaned against the hood to call Liz. “You’ll never believe how my night just went.” He told her. 

She made him promise there were plenty of details to come when she got there. And Alex smiled, the first real smile in probably weeks. Michael was bringing him breakfast and they were going to talk. For real this time. It felt good. It felt right. Michael slipped his phone into his pocket and laid back on the hood of his jeep to wait. Suddenly the night felt full of promise.


End file.
